Course description

The course consists of two modules that build on basic echocardiography: the first focuses on Doppler echocardiography, while the second integrates multi-district ultrasound with clinical and metabolic data for shock management.

More than half of the course time is dedicated to hands-on ultrasound practice and interactive clinical case discussions

Module 1 – DAY 1

Two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography, as covered in basic and advanced courses for non-cardiologists, is relatively quick to perform and simple to interpret for fundamental ultrasound findings.

However, it has limitations in assessing certain pathologies and functions. Doppler techniques (pulsed, continuous, and color Doppler) are an essential complement to 2D echocardiography, particularly for evaluating valvular diseases, pulmonary pressures, diastolic function, and cardiac output.

This course aims to enhance proficiency in Doppler techniques for echocardiographic assessment, targeting clinicians already skilled in 2D echocardiography.

Module 2 – DAY 2

In the management of cardio-circulatory failure, timely identification of the etiology and pathophysiology, along with quantifying the degree of functional impairment, is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Early initiation of targeted therapies should be coupled with ongoing monitoring to optimize treatment strategies.

Multi-district ultrasound allows for precise identification of shock etiology in most cases, and provides critical assessment of ventricular function (systolic and diastolic), pericardial and valvular abnormalities, pulmonary interstitial involvement, and venous filling.

This approach helps guide targeted treatments, assess fluid responsiveness, and manage vasoactive and cardioactive therapies.

The goal of this course is to provide a framework for using multi-district ultrasound in the evaluation and monitoring of shock, integrating ultrasound findings with clinical and metabolic data (e.g., blood gas analysis).